Scientists at Würzburg's Julius Maximilians University have mapped out the South American lungfish's DNA. Clocking in at around 91 billion base pairs, it is the biggest animal genome so far. The DNA of this fish is 30 times more than a human.
Big Size, Same Genes
Even though it is huge, the lungfish genome only has about 20,000 genes, which is about the same as human. So, most of its DNA does not code for anything. The DNA of this fish is made up of repetitive sequences known as transposable elements. These elements can copy and insert themselves throughout the genome.
Why did it get so huge?
Researchers suggest that reduced activity of proteins that normally suppress these mobile DNA sequences may have allowed the genome to expand over millions of years.
Such accumulation has significant implications for cellular organisation, as larger genomes require larger nuclei and additional energy to maintain.
What does this mean for Future?
This study lets us see how genomes expand, by showing how some species can end up with tons of DNA that doesn't code for anything. This research will tell how these huge genomes affect what cells do. Scientists are still searching on how these species adjust to their surroundings and vertebrates from water to land.
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